Valdosta

Valdosta is a city in Georgia and the county seat of Lowndes County. It was incorporated on 7 December 1860, and it was designated as the new county seat, replacing Troupville. Troupville, which was named for Governor George Troup, was abandoned after being bypassed by the railroad, and the new county seat was named after Troup's plantation, which, in turn, was named for the Italian region of the Aosta Valley (Val d'Aosta). Valdosta became a displaced persons center during the American Civil War, which had little effect on the city, and it was industrialized by the 20th century. The Ku Klux Klan held open rallies in Valdosta in 1922, and southern Georgia became known for its high number of lynchings. In 2016, Valdosta had a population of 56,474 people.